As the founder and CEO of Alloy Wealth, Mark Henry leads a team of financial and retirement planning professionals in creating written, customized retirement plans for his clients. Drawing on decades of experience in trading, finance, and estate planning, Mark Henry works closely with his clients, helping them understand the nuances of budgeting, saving, and investing so that they are well prepared when their careers end.
Mr. Henry’s goal with Alloy Wealth is to set clients up with portfolios and financial solutions that will provide reliable monthly income in retirement. He encourages clients to start saving and investing early and emphasizes a three-bucket portfolio structure that splits assets between long-term growth, short-term growth, and liquidity.
Mark Henry is also a Certified Estate Planner and fiduciary who has a legal obligation to act in his clients’ best interests, prioritizing their financial well-being above his own. He provides personalized counsel and advice, structuring retirement plans around clients’ specific financial circumstances and goals. He also educates the general public about retirement and personal finance topics through media appearances, speaking engagements, and a blog and YouTube channel called Living Large Retirement.
Recently, Mr. Henry discussed intestate succession laws, specifically in North Carolina, where Alloy Wealth is based. Intestate succession refers to the distribution of a person’s estate after their death when they do not have a valid will.
Why You Need a Will
If you have a valid will, it will be much easier for your family to settle your estate after your death. A will stipulates how your assets and property should be distributed after your death, names a guardian for any minor children, and assigns an executor to manage the process. As long as a court does not find the stipulations in your will to be legally problematic, your estate will generally be distributed per your wishes. Large estates with enough assets to qualify for federal estate taxes (more than $15 million in 2026) are more complicated to settle, but it can be relatively simple to settle smaller estates when there is a valid will to guide the process.
However, if you do not have a valid will, your estate will be settled by your state of residence in a process called intestate succession. Each state has different rules regarding intestate succession, including who inherits what and how much they receive. Some states dictate that surviving spouses, children, and other family members (including parents, grandparents, and grandchildren) receive shares of an estate. If you intend for your assets to go to specific people but do not have a will that stipulates this, your final wishes may be disregarded by the state. Settling an estate without a will can be incredibly complicated, take months or even years to process, and cause friction between family members and other heirs.
Avoid Intestate Succession
The best way to avoid all these issues is to have an ironclad will or trust set up that clearly names your heirs and distributes all your assets. Whether you want to distribute your assets to a spouse, children, friends, charities, or other entities, it is important that this is presented with clarity and detail. It is also essential that the will or trust be created in a legally sound and defensible manner.
The best way to do so is with the help of lawyers, financial professionals, and retirement and estate planners such as Mark Henry and his team at Alloy Wealth. Not only can these professionals ensure that everything is done correctly and legally, but they can also clarify confusing issues, provide advice for the efficient distribution of assets, and provide strategies for minimizing tax liability for your estate, both during your life and after your passing.
